Analyzing K-12 AI education: A large language model study of classroom instruction on learning theories, pedagogy, tools, and AI literacy

There is growing recognition among researchers and stakeholders about the significant impact of artificial intelligence (AI) technology on classroom instruction. As a crucial element in developing AI literacy, AI education in K-12 schools is increasingly gaining attention. However, most existing res...

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Main Authors: Di Wu, Meng Chen, Xu Chen, Xing Liu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-12-01
Series:Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666920X24000985
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author Di Wu
Meng Chen
Xu Chen
Xing Liu
author_facet Di Wu
Meng Chen
Xu Chen
Xing Liu
author_sort Di Wu
collection DOAJ
description There is growing recognition among researchers and stakeholders about the significant impact of artificial intelligence (AI) technology on classroom instruction. As a crucial element in developing AI literacy, AI education in K-12 schools is increasingly gaining attention. However, most existing research on K-12 AI education relies on experiential methodologies and suffers from a lack of quantitative analysis based on extensive classroom data, hindering a comprehensive depiction of AI education's current state at these educational levels. To address this gap, this article employs the advanced semantic understanding capabilities of large language models (LLMs) to create an intelligent analysis framework that identifies learning theories, pedagogical approaches, learning tools, and levels of AI literacy in AI classroom instruction. Compared with the results of manual analysis, analysis based on LLMs can achieve more than 90% consistency. Our findings, based on the analysis of 98 classroom instruction videos in central Chinese cities, reveal that current AI classroom instruction insufficiently foster AI literacy, with only 35.71% addressing higher-level skills such as evaluating and creating AI. AI ethics are even less commonly addressed, featured in just 5.1% of classroom instruction. We classified AI classroom instruction into three categories: conceptual (50%), heuristic (18.37%), and experimental (31.63%). Correlation analysis suggests a significant relationship between the adoption of pedagogical approaches and the development of advanced AI literacy. Specifically, integrating Project-based/Problem-based learning (PBL) with Collaborative learning appears effective in cultivating the capacity to evaluate and create AI.
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spelling doaj-art-18d958da4abe4e2fa14130866ed5c1722025-08-20T01:58:16ZengElsevierComputers and Education: Artificial Intelligence2666-920X2024-12-01710029510.1016/j.caeai.2024.100295Analyzing K-12 AI education: A large language model study of classroom instruction on learning theories, pedagogy, tools, and AI literacyDi Wu0Meng Chen1Xu Chen2Xing Liu3The Faculty of Artificial Intelligence in Education, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, ChinaThe Faculty of Artificial Intelligence in Education, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, ChinaCorresponding author.; The Faculty of Artificial Intelligence in Education, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, ChinaThe Faculty of Artificial Intelligence in Education, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, ChinaThere is growing recognition among researchers and stakeholders about the significant impact of artificial intelligence (AI) technology on classroom instruction. As a crucial element in developing AI literacy, AI education in K-12 schools is increasingly gaining attention. However, most existing research on K-12 AI education relies on experiential methodologies and suffers from a lack of quantitative analysis based on extensive classroom data, hindering a comprehensive depiction of AI education's current state at these educational levels. To address this gap, this article employs the advanced semantic understanding capabilities of large language models (LLMs) to create an intelligent analysis framework that identifies learning theories, pedagogical approaches, learning tools, and levels of AI literacy in AI classroom instruction. Compared with the results of manual analysis, analysis based on LLMs can achieve more than 90% consistency. Our findings, based on the analysis of 98 classroom instruction videos in central Chinese cities, reveal that current AI classroom instruction insufficiently foster AI literacy, with only 35.71% addressing higher-level skills such as evaluating and creating AI. AI ethics are even less commonly addressed, featured in just 5.1% of classroom instruction. We classified AI classroom instruction into three categories: conceptual (50%), heuristic (18.37%), and experimental (31.63%). Correlation analysis suggests a significant relationship between the adoption of pedagogical approaches and the development of advanced AI literacy. Specifically, integrating Project-based/Problem-based learning (PBL) with Collaborative learning appears effective in cultivating the capacity to evaluate and create AI.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666920X24000985AI educationLarge language modelsPedagogical approachesAI literacy
spellingShingle Di Wu
Meng Chen
Xu Chen
Xing Liu
Analyzing K-12 AI education: A large language model study of classroom instruction on learning theories, pedagogy, tools, and AI literacy
Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence
AI education
Large language models
Pedagogical approaches
AI literacy
title Analyzing K-12 AI education: A large language model study of classroom instruction on learning theories, pedagogy, tools, and AI literacy
title_full Analyzing K-12 AI education: A large language model study of classroom instruction on learning theories, pedagogy, tools, and AI literacy
title_fullStr Analyzing K-12 AI education: A large language model study of classroom instruction on learning theories, pedagogy, tools, and AI literacy
title_full_unstemmed Analyzing K-12 AI education: A large language model study of classroom instruction on learning theories, pedagogy, tools, and AI literacy
title_short Analyzing K-12 AI education: A large language model study of classroom instruction on learning theories, pedagogy, tools, and AI literacy
title_sort analyzing k 12 ai education a large language model study of classroom instruction on learning theories pedagogy tools and ai literacy
topic AI education
Large language models
Pedagogical approaches
AI literacy
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666920X24000985
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